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February

Instant analysis: The point guard position in Phoenix has been a revolving door for a while. Payton, the No. 10 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, immediately fills that void. While he hay not be the long-term solution, the Suns will get a long look at Payton before he hits free agency this summer.

Instant analysis: Emmanuel Mudiay, the No. 7 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, gets a fresh start in New York, while Devin Harris gives Denver a veteran leader for their playoff push. Doug McDermott, who will reunite with high school teammate Harrison Barnes, gives the rebuilding Mavs another deep threat.

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Instant analysis: Dwyane Wade is back home, which is a feel-good story all around. Let's not forget, however, that Miami very much needs to be sparked out of its current five-game losing streak. The Heat now sit in seventh place in the precarious Eastern Conference. They are hopeful Wade's return will steady the ship. The Cavs, meanwhile, will likely earn points with veterans around the league who witness them granting Wade's desire to return to South Beach.

Instant analysis: This trade makes a lot of sense for the Cavs, who address their two biggest needs: defense and poor guard play. Hill is a two-way floor general who can space the floor for LeBron James, while Hood is averaging a career-best 16.8 points on 39 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

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Instant analysis: The Pistons have been lacking depth at the wing position, and Ennis instantly fills that void. Johnson has appeared 12 games during his two-year career and may not be in the Grizzlies’ future plans.

Instant analysis: The move certainly makes Cleveland healthier, more athletic and better on the defensive end. The Lakers sported a defensive rating of 100.4 with those two on the floor at the same time. For context, the Spurs rank second in the league with a defensive rating of 101.2. Clarkson, however, is shooting just 32.4 percent from beyond the arc this season, while Nance is a none-threat from the perimeter. The Lakers, meanwhile, obtain a much-needed first-round pick (they do not have their own in 2018 due to the Steve Nash trade of 2012) as well as cap space they can use to pursue max-contract free agents this summer.

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Instant analysis: Brooklyn adds veteran toughness to its young core, while the Pelicans take a flyer on a former first-round pick who is still just 21 years old and has shown flashes of being an NBA 3-point shooter.

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Instant analysis: With Wade reportedly on his way back home, the Heat decided to add an extra dash of outside shooting to the mix. Babbitt is hitting 44.1 percent from beyond the arc this season. Between the slashing games of Wade and Dragic, as well as the inside presence of Hassan Whiteside, Babbitt should get plenty of open looks whenever he is on the floor. The Hawks, meanwhile, waived White to trim salary.

Instant analysis: The Bulls acquired Nelson from the New Orleans Pelicans last week in exchange for Nikola Mirotic. Nelson joins former coach Stan Van Gundy in Detroit, where Nelson will likely find minutes as a veteran guard off the bench. The Bulls reportedly plan to waive Reed.

Instant analysis: An All-Rookie first team selection last season, Hernangomez had fallen out of the Knicks' playing rotation in 2017-18. His move to Charlotte may give him more of a chance to play, but he'll join a frontcourt that features Dwight Howard, Frank Kaminsky, Cody Zeller and others. O'Bryant, a power forward, is averaging 4.8 points and 2.6 rebounds in 10.5 minutes per game this season.

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Instant analysis: A modest little move by the Bucks to boost their frontcourt depth in advance of the stretch run. In exchange, the Nets will get the opportunity to jump start the flagging prospects of Vaughn, a first-round pick in 2015, while adding a second-round selection.

Instant analysis: The Pelicans, in the wake of losing All-Star DeMarcus Cousins for the season to a torn Achilles, find some frontcourt help in the form of Mirotic. A threat from 3-point range, Mirotic has appeared in 25 games for the Bulls, averaging 16.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 42.9 percent on 3-pointers. For the Bulls, Asik returns to Chicago (where he played from 2010-12) and joins a rebuilding Bulls crew. As for Allen and Nelson, they may or may not be with the team through the Feb. 8 NBA trade deadline.

Instant analysis: With their playoff hopes rapidly dwindling after a strong start, the Pistons made a bold move to turn their season around with the acquisition of Griffin. The five-time All-Star is having another productive season, averaging 22.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and a career-high 5.4 assists per game. For the Clippers, trading their long-time draw just months after re-signing him to a massive extension -- on the heels of sending Chris Paul to the Rockets, no less -- marks a shocking turn. They're hoping the addition of two solid starters while dumping the four-plus seasons left on Griffin's deal will equate to a soft reboot, allowing them to rebuild without starting completely over.

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December

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Instant analysis: Okafor wondered about his place in the Sixers' rebuilding efforts before 2017-18 got started. The former No. 3 overall pick of the 2015 Draft played in just one game for the Sixers before they dealt him and the sharp-shooting Stauskas to Brooklyn for depth in veteran forward Trevor Booker. It may be a while before he suits up with the Nets -- to get in shape as well as learn the ins and outs of his new team -- but Okafor will have chances to make up for lost time on the court. For the Sixers, Booker provides another big body to spell star center Joel Embiid and others as Philadelphia seeks to end its five-year playoff drought.

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November

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Instant analysis: It didn't take long for the Suns to move the disgruntled Bledsoe, whose "I Don't wanna be here" tweet early in 2017-18 made that much clear. From there, Phoenix got to work trying to move him and came up with what it sought -- an expiring contract (in Monroe) and picks to add to a burgeoning treasure chest of future Draft hope. In Milwaukee, Bledsoe will free up superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo from his heavy load of ball-handling and scoring duties and should help the Bucks stay in the chase for home court in the first round of the 2018 playoffs.